By: Sean Moylan
Following in the rich tradition set forth by the "B and B girls" (Brown and Bodrog) and Samantha Weer and Jackie Steffen, Ashley Nyul and Chloe Bercaw have developed into the Life Center Academy girls’ varsity soccer team’s latest dynamic scoring duo this season. And each netted a pair of goals in LCA’s 5-0 home win over Akiba Hebrew School in Tuesday Penn-Jersey League semi-final.
This year Nyul and Bercaw have played so well together that’s it’s a rare occurrence when one or both don’t score for the Warriors in a game. Furthermore, the bigger the game, the better they play. So both were more than ready for Tuesday’s playoff contest. But they had plenty of help.
"Kelli Michalski assisted on Ashley’s (Nyul) goals and on Jade Carroll’s goal," noted LCA’s head coach Tammy Nowicki. "Katie Steffen connected with Chloe Bercaw on her two goals."
Life Center goalie Cayla Bercaw made 16 big saves to keep Akiba off the scoreboard. Those saves were huge because LCA led just 1-0 at the half. The win advances LCA into the Penn-Jersey championship game versus Saint Mary’s Hall today (Thursday) at Florence. LCA (15-8) has yet to lose a Penn-Jersey contest this season.
Last Thursday LCA won a big 4-0 game at Solebury as Nyul recorded a hat trick. Chloe Bercaw, of course, scored LCA’s other goal and assisted on one of Nyul’s tallies.
Then, on Friday, Nyul scored an unassisted goal in the first minute of play to spark the Warriors to a 5-1 road win over Villa Victoria. Nyul also had LCA’s second tally, which was assisted by Carroll, and she assisted on one of Chloe Bercaw’s two scores. Steffen chipped in with a goal and an assist. Furthermore, goalie Cayla Bercaw actually played in the field in the second stanza and set up Steffen’s tally with a good pass.
LCA pounded Mercer Christian 5-0 in Monday’s regular season finale on the road. Nyul had two goals to lead the way while Brittany Morrell also scored and recorded assists on one of Nyul’s goal and a Chloe Bercaw’s tally. Michalski posted the Warriors’ other goal.
BRHS
The Bordentown High School girls’ soccer team ended its season with a 5-2 loss to Holy Cross last Friday. But the game was closer than the final outcome.
"It was a 2-2 game with 13 minutes left in the game when they scored (and eventually broke it open)," said Bordentown Coach Dominick Castaldo.
Sheila Frank was the star of the game for Bordentown with a goal and an assist. Most likely, Bordentown finished the season at 8-10-1, but there is still a very remote possibility that Bordentown will reschedule a game versus Cinnaminson. But that’s unlikely considering Cinnaminson’s current schedule.

